Pep Guardiola admitted he is praying Manchester City do not put him through another agonising final day of Sergio Aguero drama after the draw against West Ham.
Guardiola watched his players stage a brilliant fightback from 2-0 down to snatch a point and know if they beat Aston Villa next Sunday they will be crowned champions. But title rivals Liverpool can take it to the final day if they win at Southampton on Tuesday and that will bring back memories of City snatching the title with Aguero’s last gasp winner against in 2012.
City boss Guardiola, who took part in the ten year anniversary celebrations for Aguero’s 93rd minute winner last Friday, said: “No please, not in that moment! “That moment a decade ago belongs to Sergio, Roberto Mancini and all of the players who were there. I'd say it is similar because it depends on us.
“It will be tough because there is one part that is emotional and you have to analyse exactly what you have to do to beat Aston Villa. We will give everything that we have over 95 minutes to win the title. Now there are no debates about goal difference or anything. We need to win our game to be champion. If we don't win, Liverpool will be champions.
“But I can assure you something. In one week our stadium will be sold out and we will give them all of our lives over 95 minutes and they will give us their lives. It is an incredible privilege to have the chance with our people at home to win one game to be champion. Against this Liverpool you cannot win the league a month sago or two or three fixtures. You have to fight until the end. They fought, we fight and the big privilege we have is that it is in our hands at home.
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"We only have to look at ourselves and we will give everything. I said don't be sad today because you gave a really good performance and it is fair against this opponent to arrive on the final day to decide who is the best, because both teams are too good. The debate is over if Liverpool lose at Southampton. If they win - it depends on us.
“We will need to do the most perfect game possible we can do and I encourage all the Blues in Manchester that day to go to the streets, the stadium, because they know we are going to give everything to win that game. They will be so proud, I'm pretty sure.”
